 Departments and Services > Cancer Center > Treatment Services
We offer a full range of the most up to date diagnostic studies and therapeutic treatments available today.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs or chemicals to treat an illness or disease. Many drugs are used to treat cancer,
and not all cancers are treated with the same drugs or in the same way. Research has helped determine the
most effective drugs for different kinds of cancers. You may receive one drug or a combination of drugs.
Chemotherapy treatments are administered either as an inpatient or an outpatient. Patients receiving
chemotherapy meet with an oncology nurse who discusses the process of treatment and what might be expected.
Our specially trained oncology nurses administer chemotherapy and work as a team with your physician and
pharmacy to minimize and control side effects of the treatment.
Radiation Oncology is the use of high energy x-rays to treat disease, primarily cancer, either by destroying cancer cells or by making them unable to grow and divide.
In external beam radiation therapy, a machine called a linear accelerator is used to produce a beam of x-rays that is precisely directed to the tumor or the part of the body being treated. The CHEM Center for Radiation Oncology has two linear accelerators.
Our Center offers the latest in state-of-the-art conformal radiation oncology techniques, including Intensity Modulate Radiation Therapy (IMRT), an advanced computer controlled method of treating certain tumors with millimeter precision. The CHEM Center also utilizes the latest in treatment guidance, called Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT). IGRT allows the precise targeting of the treatment beam on a daily basis for structures like the prostate. The use of IGRT in combination with IMRT for treatment of the prostate permits the Radiation Oncologist to significantly reduce the risk of complications while maintaining confidence in the therapeutically effective dose delivery.
In addition to serving as an important role in diagnosing cancer, in many cases, surgery is also a highly effective
treatment. Hallmark Health surgeons combine years of experience with the latest advances in surgical techniques
to aggressively and successfully treat many cancer types. Our surgeons collaborate with a multidisciplinary
oncology team comprised of veteran pathologists, oncologists and radiation oncologists to plan the least invasive
surgery required to address the cancer while preserving as much normal function as possible
Our oncology nurses are specially trained to care for cancer patients and their families. They work with your doctor to manage your care by monitoring your physical and emotional health, giving your treatment, teaching you and your family how to prevent complications, decrease side effects, providing emotional support and comfort. Each patient's customized treatment plan is coordinated by an experienced certified oncology nurse to ensure that the patient is always
aware of and involved in the treatment choices, process and progress.
Biotherapy is a type of treatment that works with your immune system. It can help fight cancer or help control side effects from other cancer treatments like chemotherapy.
Biotherapy and chemotherapy are both treatments that fight cancer. Biotherapy helps your immune system fight cancer. Chemotherapy attacks the cancer cells directly. Researchers are not sure how biotherapy helps your immune system fight cancer. But they feel that it may stop or slow the growth
of cancer cells; make it easier for your immune system to destroy, or get rid of cancer cells; and keep cancer from
spreading to other parts of your body.
The team understands the many aspects of illness as it enters its more serious stages. This includes physical, psychosocial, spiritual and emotional care and support for patients and their families. The goal is to provide the best possible quality of life and comfort with everyday activities.
The Social Work staff along with our medical oncologists at the Cancer Center provide genetic counseling and testing for breast and colon cancer.
Your team will also include nutritional counseling. They are there to help each patient achieve and maintain desirable body weight as well as to prevent nutritional imbalances and deficiencies in diet. Special considerations are given to patient and family education.
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